North Korea and China Mark 65 Years of Friendship Treaty, Vow 'New Strategic Cooperation'

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages on the 65th anniversary of their "Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance Treaty." Both leaders expressed a strong desire to strengthen their strategic cooperative relationship, signaling a continued alignment between the two nations.

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The China-North Korea friendship and cooperation relations are developing and sublimating at a new strategic height today, and are making a great contribution to firmly defending the sovereignty and security and development interests of the two countries and to safeguarding the peace and stability of the region and the world in the complex and complicated international environment.

Kim Jong Un stated that the friendship between North Korea and China is "developing and sublimating at a new strategic height." He emphasized its role in safeguarding the sovereignty, security, and development interests of both countries amidst a complex international landscape. Kim also expressed willingness to guide the relationship to become a model of "the strongest and most strategic socialist country relations." He recalled Xi's state visit to Pyongyang in June, noting that it confirmed their shared commitment to building a better future for their people.

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I have the willingness to lead the China-North Korea friendship, based on the excellent history and traditions, to a new height and develop it into a model of the strongest and most strategic socialist country relations.

Xi Jinping, in his message, acknowledged his successful state visit to North Korea in June. He stated that he and Kim reached an important consensus on inheriting and consolidating the traditional friendship, giving it new meaning for the new era. Xi also mentioned that they laid out the strategic direction and a "new blueprint" for developing China-North Korea relations in the new era. He expressed readiness to maintain closer strategic communication and guide the relationship to bring greater benefits to both peoples and actively contribute to regional peace and development.

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Through the historic Pyongyang summit, the General Secretary and I reaffirmed our will to jointly build a beautiful future for the peoples of the two countries on the road to the victorious advance of the socialist cause.

During the anniversary, North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song met with Xi Jinping in Beijing. While Chinese state media reported Pak's firm support for China's core interests, including the Taiwan issue, and the need to develop bilateral relations according to changing times, these remarks were not featured in North Korean media. The Rodong Sinmun, in an editorial, underscored the importance of the bilateral relationship, calling the North Korea-China friendship Pyongyang's "most important, number one strategic task."

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During my successful state visit to Korea in June this year, the General Secretary and I reached an important common understanding on inheriting and consolidating the traditional China-Korea friendship and giving it new era significance, and we formulated the strategic direction and a new blueprint for the development of China-Korea relations in the new era.